I have to strongly disagree with Ryan Robbins summary of the game
between Maine and Umass saturday night. Maine did not "banter" with UMass
for the first period, it was fairly even. After a while UMass started to
show inexperience and things unraveled, but I refuse to believe that
Maine wasn't going on all cylanders for the first. I talked to Shawn
Walsh after the game and both from that discussion and the ones that I've
had of him before, I just don't picture him for the sluggish type.
 =============================================================================
        First of all let me point out, that playing against the number
one team in the nation in their first season in Hockey East:
--UMass became only the second Hockey East team to score shorthanded against
  Maine, the other being Lowell on Feb. 25.
--UMass went 2-for-4 on the powerplay IN ALFOND ARENA, not the easiest
  place to play, against the No. 2 penalty kill in the nation at 87%
--UMass was only the second team to score four goals or more at Alfond
  since BU visited way back on December 2nd and 3rd.
--Other than BU, UMass is the only team to score four goals against Maine
  twice this season (FYI BTW, Maine has a 2.53 team GAA, first in the NCAA).
--Remember: Maine is 13-0 in Hockey East Playoff games at Alfond
 
Not too shabby when you consider that when Maine won the national title
just two short years ago, UMass didn't even have a team!!!!!!
 
 
Game Summary (very breif, I've got a paper due tomorrow, er..today)
        Maine jumped out early, as Brad Purdie scored just :20 into it
from Parmentier and Wansborough. MacIsaac was called for holding and at
2:36 Warren Norris tied the game at one for UMass.
        Wansborough made it 2-1 on the powerplay on a fluke goal. His
centering pass from behind the net hit Regan's left leg and trickled into
the net.
        UMass bounced right back though on a shorthanded tally by Blair
Wagar, as he put in the rebound of a Dennis Wright shot.
        Maine took control late in the period on a Wayne Conlan (I really
like this underated guy) breakaway and a PPG from Shermerhorn, taking a
4-2 lead into the locker room after one.
        The second was fairly even and Maine had to wait until the 16:34
mark to expand their lead. Purdie got his second, and 28th of the year,
to give Maine a 5-2 edge.
        It became 6-2 on a Parmentier PPG early in the third, but UMass
still wouldn't roll over. Brian Corcoran (who registered 6 tackles and
two sacks against Maine on the football field this fall) got his third of
the year, with a powerplay wrister through Allison's five hole. He just
loves Maine I guess. He assisted on the game winner in the upset.
        Parmentier resored the four goal margin, but Mike Evans would
again close that gap, as UMass wouldn't give up. Walsh called them
"gritty and tenacious" afterwards.
        While Maine was clearly the better team (big suprise) they didn't
toy with UMass the way it was presented earlier. All things considered, a
three goal playoff game on the road against the nation's No.1 team isn't
so bad for a team with only three upperclassmen. In fact it's fantastic.
        Powerplays were crazy in this one. 2/4 for Umass and 3/7 for
Maine. Six specialty goals in all with the UMass shorthander. Purdie got
the one star with 2 goals and 2 assists.
        So finally a favorite won in Hockey East! I give Maine a lot of
credit on a simply remarkable season all things considered. The team lost
captain Latendresse just before the season, and had to drastically alter
it's usual high-flying, offensively potent style in favor of the
defensive one they now employ. After the eligibility woes of last season,
Maine was picked fourth in the preseason Hockey East poll (WITH
Latendresse). What they've done this season is phenominal and I wish them
the best of luck on Causeway St. I just can't wait to see them play BU on
Saturday, and thank the NCAA hoop seeding committee for giving the
Minutemen a Friday/Sunday bracket so I don't have to miss it.
 
I don't know how much free time I'll have this week, with two exams, but
I'll try to post a season recap for HE's rookies. What a wild season it's
been. We beat No. 1, and lost to Air Force. We trailed BC 8-1 at Conte in
the second period one night, and beat them there in the playoffs, before
a crowd of 723 that was 2/3 partisan to UMass. The 3,975 that UMass has
averaged for league games at Mullins sure saw something. What it was
exactly that they saw we're still trying to figure out though. Let you
know when I do.
 
Leigh
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